Issue #24 -October 2021

Herpetoculturemagazine.com

erpetoculture agazine Issue #24 - October 2021

Transporting

Herps!

An Interview Living With with Aussie Legend Dr. Hal Cogger

Nile Crocs Heat Pits Explained

-- On the Cover -Zac Herr ZTH Photography @iammakingart

This Issue...

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Copyright © 2021 by Herpetoculture Magazine all rights reserved.

This publication or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

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The Autumn season is upon us! One issue closer to our two year anniversary! Autumn is a special time for most of us. For some, it may be a time when your favorite coat comes out of storage. For others, their favorite seasonal hot beverage is available. Or maybe you just like watching the leaves change, providing they actually change where you live.

From The Publishers’ Desk

In the world of herpetoculture, the fall season has a very different meaning. Some animals will be cooled for breeding. Some specimens will be fed a little more or a little less. And regardless where you live, thermostats will be dusted off, and fired up.

However you enjoy this wonderful time of the year, here at HM, we appreciate all of our readers, followers, and contributors and are honored to present our 24th issue!

Phil Wolf -Editor-

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Contributors

Justin Smith - Publisher -

Phil Wolf - Editor -

Paul Donovan - Executive Contributor -

Tie Eipper - Contributor -

Would you ever keep

? s t Ho “Between the wife and the state of Maryland, it’s just rear-fanged stuff for me.”

- Brian Whitaker

“Used to back in the day. Miss some of that stuff for sure.”

- Scott Borden “I don't, but I really want to keep Wags!” - Michael Majoros

“My answer would have been "no, never" a year ago. Now certain venomous snakes are near the top of my list.”

- Nathan Barretto

“I really only have the desire to keep a Timber Rattlesnake. But I would have to have it in a separate building from my house.”

- Billy Walter Jenkins

“I have 1 or 2” - Scott Eipper

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The

Pits

By Paul Donovan

The detection mechanism of prey within the snake families is predominantly achieved through the use of the tongue (via pheromones), and eyes (visually); this is a pretty standard organization, irrespective of the species or family. But imagine supplementing your senses with the ability to see the world around you as a thermal heat source, where other animals can be detected according to their body heat. And the more heat you give off, the brighter the image. Well, that is just how the pythons and boas (Pythonidae and Boidae) and the New World vipers, Crotalidae - or more commonly referred to as pit vipers, can see the world. These snakes supplement the use of pheromones and visual perception with that of heat detection.

Both groups of snakes employ the services of special sensory structures called heat pits which, in pythons and boas, resemble ‘holes’ located in the upper, and sometimes lower labial scales (essentially the upper and lower lips) of which there may be up to 13 pairs present.

In pit vipers, a single pit between the nostrils and eyes is present. Why pythons and boas have more pit structures than pit vipers, is difficult to reason, but is possibly due to them being less sophisticated, and having more makes up for this discrepancy.

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Discovery First described by Desmoulins in 1824, he observed that these pits were rich in nerve endings and attributed them to some sort of sensory function. However, it was not until 1957 when Bullock and Fox showed them to be perceptive to infrared radiation, that we fully understood their purpose.

What is interesting about this sensory organ, is that it evolved in two very different classes of snakes; the pythons and boas which are referred to as being primitive snakes and the pit vipers which are considered more advanced, due to the presence of venom which is used to kill prey.

From an evolutionary standpoint, these facial pits underwent a parallel evolution although, for various reasons, did evolve in slightly different positions on the face.

Another evolutionary trait is that while it only evolved a single time in the pit vipers, it appears to have evolved multiple times in the pythons and boas. It is therefore difficult to try and rationalize as to why only these two groups of snakes evolved these structures and not all of them. Considering many venomous and non-venomous snakes share the same type of habitat and, within these groups, feed on the same prey types as well as evolving around the same time, why is it so limited given that thermal detection is so successful?

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Superficially different Although the structures outwardly show remarkable similarities to one another, they do differ in structure internally, which I will cover in a moment. But before I do, a question, “why are they so different?” Essentially, the pits enable the snake to “see” infrared radiation at wavelengths in the 5 and 30μm range. There is some evidence suggesting that far from evolving simply as an organ to detect heat given off by prey, they may also serve as an aid in behavioural thermoregulation, giving them a multi-purpose function. In other words, the snake can find the optimum temperature to bask at employing the services of these heat pits. But this begs the question again; if that is the case, why did all snakes (and lizards for that matter) not evolve them?

This is one of those pondering questions.

There is a common analogy given in some literature, that the heat pits work along similar lines to that of a pinhole camera where light is focused onto a photographic plate through a tiny hole. Likewise, in the heat pits case, the heat source detected from a warm blooded animal, passes through a small pit on the snake's face onto an underlying membrane.

However, it does not hit a single point, but spreads out to hit quite a large surface area. That being so, as with the pinhole camera, the image seen is probably not very clear, resembling a blurred image, rather than a pin sharp one.

Structurally, the heat pits seen in pit vipers are made up from an external pit, in which a thin sensory membrane of 0.010mm is suspended above an air-filled pocket. This helps to insulate the detector from the surrounding tissue.

The membrane has a narrow tube linking the inner and outer pockets, and can be opened or closed by surrounding muscles. By opening or closing the tube, the pressure on the inside and outside of the membrane remains equal; it functions a bit like the eustachian tube of the ear. The membrane is highly vascular and richly supplied with sensory nerve endings, approximately 1,600 in number which arise from the trigeminal nerve masses (TNM’s).

The labial pits of the pythons and boas in contrast, have a fixed membrane richly supplied with nerve endings, rather than a suspended one. In addition, the concentration of nerve endings is less than that seen in pit vipers.

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"So sensitive are the nerve endings to changes in temperature that they can detect changes of <0.002C. They can also differentiate between the heat given off by an animal, and a rock warmed by the sun."

function Both types of pits have built-in ‘air-conditioning’. They receive air from the surrounding atmosphere which helps to cool them down to what is called a thermo-neutral state. This cooling down is important, as if they were not cooled down after being heated by thermal radiation from an external source, the receptors would be constantly in a state of warmth, and their efficiency reduced. They would, in effect, give the snake false information, making it difficult for them to identify the heat source.

Although structurally different, the pits function in a similar way in both species. The heat detecting membrane is sensitive to minute changes in temperature, and the nerve impulses in it are firing at a constantly slow (neutral) rate.

Therefore, a heat source which is within a neutral range does not bring about any changes in the rate of firing. When an object is detected that exceeds a certain temperature limit (above the neutral range), the firing of the nerve impulses increases. Conversely, a cooler temperature will result in a decrease in the firing rate.

The neutral range is determined by the average (mean) temperature of all the objects within the organ's receptive range.

So sensitive are the nerve endings to changes in temperature that they can detect changes of <0.002C. They can also differentiate between the heat given off by an animal, and a rock warmed by the sun. Which is useful, otherwise the snake would be striking at any warm object indiscriminately, and the system would be continually overloaded.

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Thermal imaging snakes use a combination of visual, pheromonal and infra-red information to detect and track an animal. This can be done with great speed and accuracy. Of course, there must be a point at which infrared radiation influences detection over smell, or even vision, and this is when the prey animal comes within about a metre of the snake. The heat pits do not have limitless range perception; if they did, they would probably be more of a hindrance to the snake than a help.

When within range and the pits come into play, the image seen by the snake is like a picture of its prey ‘painted’ as a heat source; the hotter the body part, the more intense the image is in that area.

The snake can then strike with pinpoint accuracy. In fact, experiments with rattlesnakes showed that when the eyes were covered over, the snake could strike the chest area (the part giving off the hottest glow) of a rat 99% of the time.

The existence of heat pits, in those species that possess them, is obviously of huge benefit. For one thing, it allows the snake to hunt in the dark, without placing reliance upon the need to actually visually see the animal it is hunting, or for it to even be moving for that matter. Many rodents adopt a motionless stance when they think a threat is nearby, but they are still ‘visible’ to these heat detectors. Also, should the eyesight, for whatever reason become impaired, the individual still has the capacity to hunt, which is a great advantage to it.

Although the snake can see its target both visually and through infrared means, it is still uncertain as to how these two images merge together to enable the snake to see a single image. It is doubtful that once within range, one sensory system takes total superiority over the other. They must work together.

Once the prey has been detected, interpretation of the ’image’ takes place in the region called the optic tectum.

This region of the brain receives not only the infrared signals, but also signals from the eyes as well. Some neurons are singularly sensitive to infrared signals, others visual, while still further others a combination of both. This information is then relayed to the forebrain via the tectum where it is interpreted.

The pit organs, as I have said, become accustomed to continual stimuli, and if the stimuli is removed, will revert to another status. For example, if a warm object is placed in front of the pit, its nerve firing rate will increase until it reaches a peak level where the firing rate will level off; in effect it becomes accustomed to the heat source. When the source is then removed, the firing rate will reduce, eventually returning back to its ‘normal‘ state. This process is called the latency period, and takes little more than 50 milliseconds to adjust itself, which is an astonishingly quick time.

Horseradish?

What does wasabi (Japanese horseradish) and thermal heat pits have in common? Well, it would appear quite a lot as it turns out. The nerve receptors responsible for thermal imaging in snakes, produce the same protein as which detects the chemical pungency of this herb (and other chemical irritants) in humans. However, rather than detecting an odour, they have evolved to detect heat. This

leads us on to the role genes play in establishing the infrared system, as they are responsible for this rather strange anomaly.

One gene in particular plays a crucial role in heat detection, and that is one called TRPA1 (Transient Receptor Potential Ankyrin). This gene is highly active in the trigeminal neurons of infrared detecting snakes, but less so in species lacking infrared detection. In humans and mammals, the receptors of this gene play a role in chemical detection. With changes in the structure of its receptors, it has evolved in snakes to allow them to detect infrared heat sources, which creates a thermal image in the snake's brain.

Conclusion The infrared system is a measure of external thermal fluctuations in temperature, allowing the snake to interpret an accurate measure of its distance away from the source. Thermal detection usually comes into play at a distance of about a metre between the snake and its prey. Although it has evolved in two different groups of snakes, structurally the pits differ quite appreciably. They are far more sensitive in the pit vipers than they are in the pythons and boas by approximately 10 times.

Although both pythons, boas, and pit vipers can detect infrared, the massive evolutionary distance between these two groups shows that they evolved infrared detection independently from one another. It also shows that a function does not always require a specific gene, but simply the repurposing of an existing one. If the mass media were to have us believe, snakes are primitive, primordial creatures. Nothing could be further from the truth. They are, as heat detection shows, highly evolved.

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Product Review

ZooMed Repti Shedding Aid Review by Justin Smith There are few things more frustrating than an animal that has bad sheds! We, as keepers, try to do our best to keep bad sheds from happening but at some point in the herpetocultural journey, they are inevitable. Of course there are a handful of ways we handle stuck shed from soaking to misting to manually pulling the flakes off by hand. Zoo Med, a brand that I’m sure we’re all familiar with, sells a product specifically catered to solving this problem with their Repti Shedding Aid. This product comes in a small 2.25 ounce bottle which may seem small but once you use this product you’ll see that a little goes a long way! The ingredients list on the bottle is: water, solubilizing hydrotrope, glycerine, jojoba oil and vitamin E acetate in an oil base.

Together these help to soften and condition the skin or stuck shed to help it come off easier. When I use it I notice if you apply it and leave it for a few minutes it becomes almost sticky which helps pull off the stuck bits even better. Combined with a rubber finger tip that is used for counting money, the stuck shed doesn’t stand a chance! The Zoo Med website states that it is safe to use for stuck eye caps.

Their site also states that this product can be used as a preventative saying “Once per month, or before your reptile sheds, spray Repti Shedding Aid onto your reptile and gently rub into the skin.” Personally, I’ve yet to use it preemptively and with particulate bedding wonder if that would be a smart thing to do since it gets “sticky” just to become a bedding magnet on your animal.

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In my opinion the best prevention is keeping your animal hydrated as best as you can. Obviously our daily lives get busy and sometimes things get missed.

That’s where we’re lucky to have this product around! It’s easy to find either online or at your local Petsmart or Petco at around $8 or $9 a bottle. Like so many things in my herp room, this is one that I would rather have and not need than need and not have!

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Photo >> Zac Herr

Life With

'Kwena'

by Paul Donovan

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If

you like your reptiles big, they don’t come much bigger than the Nile Crocodile, Crocodylus niloticus. This behemoth of a reptile is one of the 24 representatives of the order Crocodilia, and gives us a tantalising glimpse into what their long gone prehistoric ancestors were like.

Of course ‘modern day’ crocodilians pale in significance when compared to their prehistoric ancestors. One can only imagine ambling down to the river during the cretaceous era (Not as though the forebears of humans were around then), to see a crocodile called Sarcosuchus imperator lounging on the banks. That would certainly have been an impressive sight, given this is the largest crocodilian to have ever basked in the earth's sun at 40ft, and tipping the scales at 17,500 lbs. Its nearest living relative is the Saltwater Crocodile, Crocodylus porosus.

With 200 million years of evolution beneath their bony scales (65 million of which resembled as they do today) and with the ability to learn, crocodilians are the animal kingdom's equivalent of the Army Special Forces. With their aptitude to watch the habits of a potential victim without being spotted, creep up on it with silent stealth, and then unleash an amazing amount of power as it ambushes its quarry, often launching half its body from the water, it is a sight you will never forget. These giants of the reptilian world are true apex predators in anyones’ book.

In Botswana, the local name for the Nile crocodile is 'Kwena' whose origins refer to its teeth, of which a Nile croc has between 60 and 68. There are two types of teeth, those at the front of the mouth are large and conical and used for grasping prey and tearing flesh, while those of the rear five rows, or so, are smaller and used for crushing bone - which a crocodile has no trouble doing. They are capable of snapping the thigh bone of a large ungulate in half as if it were a twig. And when you hear that crunching sound, it makes you thank yourself that it’s not your leg!

Although I have worked with Niles in several zoological collections in the UK, I never really appreciated them as much as I do now; I think that goes for most reptiles, actually. To see and have the opportunity to work with individuals in a more natural environment, gives you a totally different perspective on their biology and natural history. There is something about keeping them in captivity which takes away part of their persona.

With an average length of between 4 and 5m, and tipping the scales at 400kg, the Nile Crocodile is by far the largest reptile on the African continent. Reports of 6m giants weighing 900 kgs are not unheard of, although many of the true giants have long been poached for their skins, so encounters with such colossal individuals is less of an occurrence nowadays.

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Specializing in Morelia & Old World Ratsnakes.

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Smarter Than You Think...

Reptiles are often perceived as not being the most intelligent of animals, but crocodilians are an exception to this rule. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that they are more closely related to birds than snakes and lizards (they split from other evolving reptiles around the Triassic era some 200 million years ago) and as well as having a 4-chambered heart in common with birds, they also have quite a well-developed brain, albeit a small one.

I remember the very first zoo I worked in over 40 years ago, where I looked after two small Nile croc's measuring about a metre in length. They were new arrivals, like me, and over a period of time we built up a 'trust'. I could go into their enclosure to clean it while being in close proximity to them. They would even allow me to lift their tails to sweep beneath them without flying around the enclosure like some demented beast. This was totally the opposite to when I was off, and my superior had to do the cleaning; he said they were totally "scatty".

When I moved to Botswana, 15 years back, I had the chance to work with a big individual; when I say 'big', I mean in the region of 3m. It lived in a rather neglected enclosure, and was thrown the occasional scrawny (feather-less) dead chicken: several of which I found rotting in the water. It was not in the best of health. It was emaciated, and its teeth showed signs of inadequate calcium intake - they had a glazed appearance about them.

Paul feeding his crocodile

These wildlife rehabilitators informed me that the croc was a reluctant feeder and only ate 3 or four chickens a year... No wonder he was thin. But then, when just lobbing its food into the stinking pond it was living in, was it any wonder!? My task now was how do I get this reluctant, emaciated crocodile to feed?

Just throwing the fish in, they would end up floating on the surface and rotting like the chickens; not only a waste of time, but also money. What I needed to try and do was bring out its hunting instinct again. Over the course of several patient weeks, by splashing the water at the edge of the pool with a stick, I 'trained' the croc to associate this with food. Every time he responded to this by coming over, I gave him a fish.

In the space of twelve months, this poor undernourished, neglected crocodile transformed into an impressive animal. If the A change of diet, therefore, was called for, so I bought a croc was near the surface or basking on the bank, and I shouted its load of Tilapia from the local fishermen. To show you how name (I called him Charlie), it would also respond by diving back ignorant the people looking after him were, when I came back into the water and coming to the edge of the bank ready to be fed. with the fish, they asked me "should we de-head and bone Something else I began to appreciate was just what sort of bite they them for you?” They also informed me that they were the have. When you are close to a big individual, and it snaps its jaws ones who "plucked the chickens before feeding them to the closed, I can tell you, the hairs on the back of your neck stand to croc". When I asked "why" they had a rather bemused look attention. on their faces. What shamed them even more, the crocodile was being housed inside a nature reserve (whose name I will Just how much power in this bite was shown when one of the withhold as it’s a shocking place), and the people looking celebs from the Hungarian reality TV show I was involved in some after him were so-called wildlife rehabilitators' with years of years back, was told to "shove this bite meter in that crocodile's experience!...Still they had a lot to learn about crocodiles. mouth!" We attached the meter to a length of rope. The first attempt failed: the croc grabbed the rope pulling the three people holding it along the ground towards the water’s edge before they had the common sense to let it go. With shaking hands they

"they have quite a welldeveloped brain, albeit a small one."

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threw it a second time. Success, the croc grabbed it. When we managed to retrieve it, my 3m croc unleashed a biting force of 1,702 pounds per square inch! A large individual could easily double that, which equates to something like, laying on the floor with a crane crushing your chest.

Crocs & Humans It is hard to put a figure on it, but some of the more reputable studies into crocodile attacks in Africa suggest that the Nile Crocodile kills several hundred people a year. One crocodile researcher I spoke to some years back, said this figure could actually be as high as 1,000 people.

This is significantly higher than any other crocodile species (including the infamous Saltwater crocodile, Crocodylus porosus). One of the reasons for this is that Nile croc's and humans live in close proximity to one another. Fishermen regularly fall victim, as do local farmers.

A Mokoro trip may look relaxing, but watch out for the crocs

Fishermen are often at risk of crocodile attacks.

Of course, many thousands of tourists travel to Africa each year in search of adventure and once in a lifetime holidays, and a number of these also fall victim. One of the popular excursions is to take a leisurely Mokoro (dugout canoe) trip down a waterway as a way of getting really close to nature. But these tranquil rivers are not all they seem. These shallow, unstable floating canoes carved out tree trunks (although many are made out of fibreglass nowadays) often get tipped over by hippo's; and if getting attacked by a hippo weren't enough, you may have to contend with the crocodiles.

Several years ago, I lived in Maun, often regarded as the gateway to the Okavango Delta. While there, the local paper carried a story of a rogue hippo capsizing a Mokoro with two German tourists in it. The husband managed to swim to the bank unscathed. Sadly, a croc grabbed hold of his wife's leg, and took the lower half off.

Personally, you wouldn't get me in one of those Mokoros for love or money now!

An interesting piece of research that has come out from those studying Nile crocodile attacks, is that most attacks can be attributed to individuals of 3m plus in length. This is probably at the point where they change their diet from predominantly fish

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based, to a more 'meat' based intake. And of course, they do not differentiate between a tasty Zebra having a drink at the water’s edge, any more than they do a fisherman casting his net, or a lady doing her washing. A three metre Nile croc, is capable of overpowering just about any animal that offers itself unwittingly as a target.

In Case of Emergency...

There are two accepted ways of escaping the bite of a crocodile, should you inadvertently find one attached to one of your extremities. Fortunately, I have never had to practice either. The first is to poke it in the eye. The second, is a bit more extreme, and involves "sticking your arm as far down the crocodile’s throat as possible". This opens the flap of skin at the rear of the throat that forms a valve closing off the windpipe, thus preventing the croc from drowning while it’s ripping chunks of flesh off a carcass, or holding its quarry beneath the water to drown it. As soon as it feels water entering the lungs, it will release its grip on you.

Sometimes I wonder just who comes up with these 'how to get yourself out of the worst case scenarios'. Have they actually tried them, or are they just built on theory? It’s like being told to "stand still and casually step to one side when you can see the whites of a charging rhino's eyes".

Yea right! I was charged by a rhino once, and trust me, I was behind the nearest tree long before it ever got that close.

An attack by a croc is a frenzied, terrifying experience unlike that of any other animal. You not only have to contend with being incapacitated in a vice-like grip, but being drowned at the same time. While this is all going on, you then, according to the “free yourself rules”, now have to thrust a good arm down the croc's throat.

Although it defies logic, sometimes the illogical can work. I suppose, in times of desperation, you will try just about anything.

"There are two accepted ways of escaping the bite of a crocodile, should you inadvertently find one attached to one of your extremities..."

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On the move & in the garden...

Rain is a fickle thing in some parts of Africa, and during periods when the rains are absent, many of the rivers populated by crocodiles begin to dry up.

While many individuals may remain, in the hope that the rains arrive soon, the vast majority leave and go in search of greener pastures; or perhaps that should be wetter ones?

During January 2013, a crocodile farm on the Limpopo River bordering South Africa and Botswana was flooded during heavy rains. 15,000 crocodiles escaped, half of which were never recaptured....

Niles have been known to travel several kilometres across the parched landscape in search of water. The vast majority may succumb to this alien environment, while the lucky few that do find water, can often find themselves in, how shall we say..... unfamiliar surroundings.

I lived on the outskirts of Gaborone (Botswana's capital), and the nearest river to us was the Notwane river, a good 15 minute drive away. The river forms an unofficial border between Botswana and South Africa, and in some places is shallow enough to wade across - which illegal immigrants regularly do. The river is home to some nice sized croc's that can often be seen basking on the river banks. 2013 was a terrible year, as Mother Nature was not kind to us at all; we suffered terribly at the hands of drought, with rivers and reservoirs running almost bone-dry. As the waterways began to dry up, the crocodiles began to embark on journeys to find new places of residence. Some of the smaller of these displaced individuals found their way (rather bewilderingly to some residents) into urban gardens, crossing thick thorny bush, and at least one major road in the process.

I had several call outs to rescue displaced individuals who have found their way into garden ponds or swimming pools. The swimming pool ones I managed to relocate, but the others in the ponds (which are small lakes in some cases maintained by strong boreholes), I usually said to the property owner "why move it, leave it there: not everyone can boast to having a crocodile at the bottom of their garden". Most of these individuals are only a metre/metre and a half in length, so are unlikely to do any harm to anyone, other than perhaps take the occasional dog. Thankfully, I was never called out to deal with

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one of the real big boys, so am not sure where they went, although I suspect they may have excavated tunnels in the embankments somewhere along the rivers length to aestivate during the oppressive heat and drought.

In some areas of their distribution, individuals have been known to dig tunnels up to 6m (20') deep where they then sit out adverse weather in much more favourable conditions. Such periods of enforced dormancy may extend for several months.

n a h t i w w e i v r e t n An I

e i s s Au n o Ic .

G d l o r a H .

Dr r e g g o C

By Tie Eipper

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Photo >> CSIRO

Dr. Harold G. Cogger is, to us Aussie herpers, what Vegemite is to those weird Australians who don’t like reptiles. For over 50 years Hal has dedicated his time, knowledge, and enthusiasm to herpetology. Hal is one of the greats who have paved the way for us with herpetology in Australia.

Acknowledging the respect we have for him, the appreciation for the work he has done and continues to do, the help he gives tirelessly and the all-round nice guy he is, Hal has had one genus and eight species/sub species of reptiles named after him. Coggeria, Ctenotus coggeri, Emoia coggeri, Geomyersi coggeri, Hydrophis coggeri, Lampropholis coggeri, Oedura coggeri, and Diporiphora nobbi coggeri.

However, Hal’s accomplishments aren’t limited to the land Down Under. Hal has been involved in numerous projects internationally over the years and has made many contributions worldwide. We borrowed a noose that Hal uses for catching small lizards and were amazed at the amount of international stickers that were on the noose’s case – that noose was far better travelled than Scott and I! Not just in the field has Hal excelled. Hal’s working history is just as impressive as his herpetological achievements: Curator of Reptiles, then onto Deputy Director at the Australian Museum. Let’s not forget the impressive role of Conjoint Professor in the Faculty of Science and Mathematics at the University of Newcastle and an honorary Doctor of Science.

Hal was the first author to put to paper the idea of a comprehensive guide for Australian reptiles and amphibians.

Referred to here affectionately as “the bible”. (Well by herpers and keepers anyway. I’m guessing those with an actual bible don’t use that term!) The first of the ten editions were published in 1975 and are still going strong, with the last edition published in 2017. Hal has numerous books under

his belt and a swather of papers and peer reviews. Hal is also brilliant behind the camera and has been fortunate enough to get some fantastic shots over the years, especially of species now extinct.

We are thankful Hal hasn’t slowed down at all in retirement as we’ve hit him up several times and his recommendations have been invaluable. I’m sure he loves those conversations that start off with “How much do you love me”? (me) or “I need a favour please”! (Scott). Hal recently undertook an app (Snake ID). He spent a lot of time working on this app and has donated the sales from the app to the Australian Museum. (See why we love him?!) I love the weekends Scott and I can get away and sit round the coffee table at his house, listening to him and Heather retell stories from the past.

(There are always chocolate biscuits to go with these stories which make it doubly great!)

Hal very kindly agreed to an interview with me. I’d love to say it was in his lounge room with a cuppa and a Tim Tam, but Hal’s state is in lockdown, so it wasn’t possible. (I may have had Tim Tams anyway). I sent Hal this piece so he could let me know if I had any of my facts wrong before I submitted it - he was adamant I should let everyone know that he ”can be a sh*t.” Over the many years we’ve known him, I’ve never seen it as he’s been nothing but lovely, but I’m sure if I asked Heather she would agree with his correction!

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TE: Are you a frog/snake/turtle/lizard/crocodile sort of person?

HC: Definitely a lizard sort.

TE:What was that lightbulb moment that made you realize reptiles and amphibians were your passion?

HC: No specific event. Just an affection for and interest in the reptiles I was encountering and reading about as a 10-year-old schoolboy.

TE:What was your first reptile?

HC: I really can’t remember.

TE:What species would you have loved to have kept or worked with and why?

HC: The common Fijian Iguana, Brachylophus fasciatus, because it’s easy to keep and breed, has a great temperament, is beautiful and possesses complex behaviour patterns.

TE:What has been the favorite reptile or amphibian you’ve kept and why?

HC: Next to Brachylophis (see previous question), I’ve been fascinated by the New Guinean crocodile skink, Tribolonotus gracilis, which I kept for some time when working in the field – my favourite because of its abundance, colonial habits in ground litter, fascinating glands on its feet and belly and above all its angular head and “armoured” body form. I’d wished I’d had the opportunity to keep some in captivity for a more lengthy period to observe their behaviour, but live specimens could not be imported into Australia. With the export of thousands from Indonesia’s West Papua in recent years I suspect that most of my initial curiosity about its biology and ecology has been resolved by others.

TE:What projects are you currently working on?

HC: Documenting the long-term (50 year) decline in Mallee Dragons (Ctenophorus spinodomus) in arid mallee habitats in western New South Wales and comparative growth patterns in the Eastern Water Dragon (Intellagama lesueurii) of Australia, the Crested Iguana of Fiji (Brachylophus vitiensis) and the Tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus) of New Zealand.

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TE:What animal have you worked with that stands out the most in your mind and why?

HC: Sea kraits of the genus Laticauda because I spent many field trips throughout the Ryukyu Archipelago, most south Pacific countries and the Australian north-west shelf and the Great Barrier Reef with colleagues from Japan, France, the USA and Australia. Those trips were memorable for the great company, the beauty of coral reefs throughout the area, and the diversity, behaviour and ecology of the sea kraits themselves.

TE: Are reptiles/amphibians a family passion or just yours?

Ctenotus coggeri

HC: Just mine, although all the family help out in the field when asked.

TE: Can you share with us the moment that has given you the biggest laugh in your career?

Lampropholis coggeri

HC: When working in the highlands of New Guinea on the Ramu/Sepik Divide 60 years ago with an anthropologist friend, I was trying to locate an otherwise uncollected frog that was occasionally calling from deep burrows in the rainforest. When I asked local tribesmen to help me locate the frog they assured me the caller was not a frog but an earthworm! The next day when we heard the frog calling I stopped everybody while I spent nearly an hour slowly digging out the burrow to eventually locate a very large earthworm. I never was able to positively attach the call to any of the local frogs, but my anthropologist colleague was able to publish a serious paper on identification conflicts between western scientific specialists and local tribesmen!

TE: You’ve spent 50 years working with Mallee Sand Dragons.

What has surprised you about them?

HC: The fact that they are essentially an annual species in which most individuals die at the end of their first year, making them very vulnerable to massive reductions in their numbers, particularly if they are subject to high mortality (of adults or eggs) due to environmental conditions during their breeding season in later spring.

TE: What was your favorite herp trip and why?

HC: It’s hard to pin down a single trip, but a sea snake study trip organised by Dr Bill Dunson of Pennsylvania State University on the Scripps Institution of Oceanography’s Research Vessel, Alpha Helix, in 1972 involved diving daily on beautiful coral reefs among hundreds of sea snakes in one of the richest and diverse sea snake faunas in the world.

Oedura coggeri

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TE:What is a piece of advice you were given that you would like to share?

HC: If, when collecting live and lethal venomous snakes there is even the slightest chance of being bitten, walk away.

TE: What was your highest moment in the hobby?

HC: Always the last field trip I was on.

TE:What was your lowest moment in the hobby and what did you learn from it?

HC: Being put ashore alone on a small island off Lord Howe Island on a beautiful calm morning to study its lizard fauna, only to nearly drown when having to swim to the boat with my camera and specimens seven hours later when the boat returned to collect me in rough seas.

What did I learn? Don’t work in the field alone, unless absolutely necessary.

TE: In your eyes, how has the hobby changed over the years?

HC: I have never kept large numbers of live herps, but I’m these days impressed by the incredible diversity of equipment, facilities and foods that make herp keeping easier, combined with our greatly increased knowledge of husbandry.

TE: Who helped you along the way, has given you inspiration?

HC: Too many to identify individually, but I’m most grateful to those who enthusiastically encouraged my interests and education as a schoolboy.

TE: Can you tell us about your most memorable call out?

HC: In retirement I am often called out in our small village to move snakes from homes. A recent unwanted adventure was being caught in a large, cluttered garden tool cupboard with a very angry tiger snake (Notechis scutatus) .

TE:Which of your publications holds a special place in your heart and why?

HC: Probably a little book called “Australian Reptiles In Colour” which went through many editions and which was later shown to have sparked a life-long interest in reptiles by many children.

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"If, when collecting live and lethal venomous snakes there is even the slightest chance of being bitten, walk away."

TE:What is your biggest achievement to date?

HC: Surviving to my current age.

TE:What motivates you?

HC: Curiosity TE:What has been your favorite memory of the hobby?

HC: Though it wasn’t a pet, having a harmless carpet python in my lab escape into the air conditioning ducts where it regularly poked its head into other labs to frighten the inhabitants before eventually being caught.

TE: Do you collect anything other than reptiles?

HC: I usually have a tropical fish aquarium set up as I find their colour and movement very soothing.

TE:What is one thing you will never do again?

HC: Fail to check that a dinghy is really secure when using it as a base for diving on coral reefs.

TE: Biggest fear?

HC: Drowning.

TE:What is your favorite way to unwind?

HC: Bushwalking.

TE:What can you not live without?

HC: My laptop.

TE: Biggest pet peeve?

HC: Politicians of all political persuasions.

TE: If you were to compare yourself with any animal, which animal would it be and why?

HC: That’s for others to decide…….

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Reptilia

Transference:

Tips for transporting reptiles and amphibians safely with Phil Wolf If you’re reading this magazine, we’re to assume you own, or plan to own, reptiles or amphibians. That being said, there may be a time when one must transport their pet, and if so, what are some of the best ways to do so? My name is Phil Wolf and I’m a herper. For many years, I’ve mentored countless individuals in the safe handling of exotic wildlife. And every year that goes by, I learn more and more tips and tricks on how to be better at our amazing hobby.

One thing that always comes to mind is how to transport our reptiles and amphibians safely. Whether it’s relocating an animal for its safety, or taking your new pet home, we want to transport our precious cargo safely for the health of the animal, as well as to prevent any mishaps. Most reptile keepers are familiar with the common practices of snake bags, and deli style plastic containers. Both of which are tried and true. However, what if your animal has special needs? What if the species at hand is highly aquatic or has specific temperature requirements? What if your species is venomous? It’s always good to have a backup plan, or alternative means.

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Assuming your species is harmless, we can start by looking at snake bags and pillowcases. A timeless classic, many a hotel and grandma’s guest room, have lost a few pillowcases to the occasional herper. So why do we use pillowcases for snakes?

Pillowcases and cloth bags are ideal for transporting snakes and lizards where space and ventilation are a factor. Fabric bags can be squeezed down to size to accommodate smaller specimens as well as tied shut in a variety of ways. Fabric bags allow for good airflow. Opposed to a container that may retain too much humidity, or not permeate enough oxygen.

However, there are many faults to fabric bags that are commonly overlooked. The most prevalent are the corners of the bag. Most snake bags are made overseas and the stitching is usually subpar.

Snakes and lizards will press their nose into the corner of the bag. Over time, this will stretch the stitching. Eventually leading to a hole being made. It may not happen the first, second, or even 10th time the bag is used. But eventually, the stitching will fail. Many keepers have now learned to sew a zipper style line of stitching across the corner of the bag. This makes for a rounded corner internally, eliminating the weak point of the 90° angle and preventing the specimen from burrowing into it.

Evaluating the top, or the opening of the snake bag is also very important. Make sure there are no tears or frays, and if there is a draw string, that the string is not twisted, or falling apart. If tying knots isn’t your specialty, a common zip tie or cable strap works wonders. They can be cut off with a simple nail clipper and provide peace of mind that the tied fabric knot won’t slip loose. To quote master breeder Kris Painschab, “Two zip ties are better than one. And one zip tie is better than none!”

If transporting a venomous reptile in a snake bag, there’s a few more steps one should follow.

Remember, the bag is made of fabric, and a snake's fangs will puncture right through that fabric! Many keepers have been envenomated through a snake bag when they became careless and moved the bag with their hands. Many keepers use dark colored or black fabric bags to aid in the animal’s comfort level. The darkness of the colored bag allows the snake or lizard to feel calm and secure.

That being said, some snakes still see shadows through the bag, or even use their heat pits to “see” the keeper right through the cloth material. When bagging venomous snakes and lizards, a double bagging practice should be deployed. I.E., once the specimen is in the bag, that bag is closed appropriately and placed inside another bag, which is also sealed. And remember, you can never tie the bag tight enough!

“Two zip ties are better than one. And one zip tie is better than none!”

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The outer bag should be marked with bold writing, “DANGER VENOMOUS REPTILE!” As well as the specimen’s scientific name, common name, and number of animals within. It’s a good idea to mark the outer bag before the animal is placed inside. Bagging venomous snakes is extremely dangerous and should only be performed by individuals trained to do so.

Once the venomous reptile is double bagged, it’s a good idea to place the bags inside a hard shelled container. This could be something as simple as a plastic kitchen container with air holes, an empty tackle-box with air holes, or even a ventilated wooden crate. If the container is lockable, even better! And this leads us to “Hott Boxes.”

A Hott Box is a hard-shelled or wooden container specifically labeled and used for transporting venomous reptiles.

Oftentimes ornately marked with caution and danger labels, these boxes are used religiously by professional keepers and field collectors. It is not uncommon for a venomous keeper to have two or three different Hott Boxes of different sizes to accommodate the specimen in their collection. These boxes also prove paramount in disaster preparedness such as blizzards and hurricanes.

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In some rural areas where human contact with snakes is more prevalent, many have adopted using plastic tubes as retaining vessels. Much like the clear plastic tubes we use in reptile medicine for restraining a snake, these tubes are much larger and typically made of PVC plastic. Pioneered by the African Snakebite Institute (ASI) in South Africa, these tubes are usually non-transparent and closed off at one end.

They are very wide in diameter and can be almost a meter in length.

The idea behind this, is that the herper or relocator has provided the snake a dark hole for it to “escape” into; much like the dark colored cloth bags. It may take some convincing on the human's part, but in theory, the snake slithers into the dark hole, feeling safe that it has evaded its bipedal predator.

The open end of the tube is then capped with a threaded lid that also has ventilation holes and a handle. The snake is now safely confined within the tube.

Another popular mode of reptile transportation is the plastic deli style container or cup. Several companies, as well as, breeders produce plastic cups specifically for transporting reptiles and amphibians. Most of these containers have a press sealed lid that is difficult for animals who don’t have thumbs to open.

Many of these containers have perforated lids, or air holes professionally cut along the rim of the container. With smaller species, as well as some invertebrates, several companies have adapted their lids to have a fine mesh cloth sealed into the plastic with animal-safe adhesives.

This is due to the species being small enough to escape out of a typical sized air hole.

Usually, a folded paper towel or strip of fabric is placed on the bottom of the container. This is to absorb any urine or feces from the animal, in addition to the animal’s comfort. It is of the opinion of this author that deli cups are typically best for transporting. They are easily cleaned and sanitized, stackable, and provide a fairly safe shield against accidents. It is crucial however to always check for air holes! Accidents happen, and sometimes the deli cup manufacturer overseas has a defect from the factory, and no air holes are provided, unbeknownst to the buyer.

Many people have had their brand-new pet suffocate in a deli cup with no air holes, as they are walking around the reptile show post purchase.

Regardless if the species is dangerous or not, when transporting deli cups or containers in a vehicle, it is a good idea to place said containers in a larger box or container. In the event of a traffic collision, or unforeseen weather, the animals are double protected. Regardless of the duration of transport, it is never a good idea to place transport containers in the storage compartment of a vehicle, in direct sunlight, or in a rapid change of temperature.

If the deli style containers are transporting Venomous species, more precautions should be taken. The words “DANGER VENOMOUS REPTILE!” Should be placed directly on the lid of the container, as well as the animal's scientific name, common name and quantity of animals within. Extreme care should be taken when using deli style containers with venomous animals. Containing venomous animals in this style is one of, if not THE most dangerous aspects of keeping Venomous in captivity. Due to the close proximity of the keeper’s hands in relation to the animal. Hemostats, tongs, and large tweezers should be used to attach and remove the container’s lid.

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Once the venomous animal is secured within the plastic container, it’s a common practice to place vinyl tape (electrical tape) around the rim of the container, or across the lid, preventing any chance of the lid opening. If you think there’s enough tape applied, put some more! Tape is cheap compared to medical bills or one’s life!

After the container is securely taped and properly labeled, the container should be placed within another vessel, such as a rigid plastic box, or wooden crate referenced previously. If such a container is not available at the time, the taped container could be placed inside a snake bag or pillow case to prevent any escape. Be mindful of the duration in which the deli container is inside the fabric bag. This practice cuts ventilation and oxygen levels in half. And the animal inside could potentially suffocate despite both the container and the bag being porous.

A trend becoming ever so popular with field herpers, is the use of a plastic bucket with a screw-on lid. Five and/or seven gallon buckets can be purchased at any hardware store for little to no money. They are incredibly durable, easy to clean, sanitize, and provide rugged containment for more defensive species.

Several companies produce a threaded, screw-on bucket lid for easily securing and removing. The threaded lid set has a press-on tapped rim that simply pops onto the plastic bucket.

The actual lid then threads inside the rim, sealing the bucket.

Air holes can be drilled in the lid or the bucket’s body, and with some proper hole placement, a simple cable lock can be run through the rim to prevent unwanted opening of the bucket.

Several companies online offer a “snake lid.” This lid is intended specifically for use with venomous reptiles. These lids are typically bright red in color and have a clear, key lockable window. A snake or lizard can be slid through the window, or the window can simply be used as such, to see the contents inside. These buckets can also be used as a secondary containment for deli cups, snake bags, or even plastic jars.

There are several bucket dividers and caddies purchasable online. These dividers make compartments within the bucket so that smaller containers or equipment can be sectioned off safely from other containers. The bucket also sits comfortably on the seat of a car, and can even be seat-belted in place by running the seatbelt through the carry handle of the bucket.

The most crucial aspect of using a bucket is proper signage.

Because these buckets are commonly used in a household manner, it is imperative that the bucket be marked as a snake container! Several stickers can be bought on Amazon stating, “DANGER VENOMOUS REPTILE!” Or “Danger! Snake Transport Container.” If not using the bucket for venomous

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animals, there are other stickers available such as, “Caution!” or “Live Animals!”

Let’s say the animal you’re transporting is highly aquatic, or needs high aeration. Most amphibians can be transported in a plastic container using damp sphagnum moss, or wet paper towels in lieu of dry paper towels. However, wet paper towels are not always ideal. They have a tendency to move to one side of the container, and become soiled very quickly.

If transporting with water, a taller container with less water is optimal so that water doesn’t slosh or splash high enough to exit the air holes on the top of the container. If transporting tadpoles, pollywogs, or aquatic newts, a small, battery powered aerator can be found at most pet shops. Despite being designed for tropical fish; these aerators will provide sufficient oxygenation of the water for an extended transport trip or in the event of a major power outage.

Depending on the time of year, and elements at hand, it’s always beneficial to have a backup temperature agent. A long drive in summer when the dashboard reads 100°F, grab a cold pack from the freezer. Taking a short trip across town when your power is out after a snow storm, pack some hand warmers or heat packs for your animals for the drive. Do your best to try and maintain living temperatures for the species at hand. Rapid changes in temperature and humidity can cause respiratory issues that may not be visible for some time.

No matter how you transport reptiles and amphibians, do your best to think outside of the box. Make sure they’re mentally and physically comfortable. Try to be pragmatic, and think of scenarios that could help prevent any issues. Remember, you don’t put your seatbelt on right before the car crash, at that point, it’s too late.

Special Thanks to our Patreon Supporters for this issue!

- Zachary Chilcote

- Joel Patenaude

- Han Hwei Woo

- David Brahms

- Jason Keller

- Tim Morris

- Roy Arthur Blodgett

- Thadd Sauls

- Geoff Obst - Travis Wyman

- Reptile Mountain - Donald Cain

- Rob Starzman

- Erica Perras

- Hissy Fit Reptiles

- Eric Burke

- Dominique DiFalco - Luc Myers - Andy Middleton

- Cody Moon - Brenden Meyer - Ish Quiñones

- Tom Bush

- Clay Emerton

- Mike Kuppens

- Johnny Barrett

- Thomas Ervin

- Michael Powell

- sean wagner - Miguel Villa

- Kris Painschab - Ryan Cox

Thank you!!

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In The Incubator...

- Kinyxis homeana - Tyler Brooks - Herp vision

And More!

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